Pioneer history of Ingham County, compiled and arranged by Mrs. Franc L. Adams, secretary of the Ingham County pioneer and historical society.

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PIONEER HISTORY OF INGHAM COUNTY

"Life now resolved itself into a struggle with Miss, who,
for some incomprehensible reason, felt it her bounden duty to
break up this party. I fought like a tigress for her young. I
think I felt that amidst surroundings not altogether elevating
that little company of girls gave the one hope of reaching lofty
ideals. That we were silly and sentimental is doubtless truethat we were developing our very highest selves seems to me now
incontrovertible.
"Poor Miss. She made a lamentable failure with us
according to her own views. According to mine, we achieved a
brilliant triumph over her.
"Long live such creditable friendships!"-State Journal.
FIRST RAIL STATION AT LANSING WAS TWO MILES
"NOR' BY EAST" OF CITY.
"Ram's Horn" Road Began Train Service Here in 1862.
"All aboard!-Owosso and Detroit train, over the Ram's Horn,
leaves station in 55 minutes-'bus going right down. All aboard!"
This is the cry of the 'bus driver, opening the office door of the
old Benton House, up on the hill, at 10 o'clock of the forenoon of a
morning in Lansing back in 1862. Let the cry of the old 'bus
driver come back to you through almost 60 years.
Here they go-Landlord Hindman stands at the door and waves
them off and perhaps young "Bob" Merrifield (Robert T.) springs
out, boy-like, and hops up by the driver for the ride to the station.
These folks leaving the Benton House have a long, hard ride before them before they reach the station. According to "Bill"
Hinman, the veteran city assessor, Lansing's first railroad station
stood just at the edge of the "big marsh," about two miles north,
or, north by east, as the sailors would say, from Lansing. Go
over the high, dry bridge out that way today and then down to
the edge of the marsh and there you will be approximately on the
site of Lansing's first station. It was called the station at Ballard
road.